Improvement in grain-decorticating apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. P.- X. STIEPENHOFER.

Grain-Deoorticating Ap atus. No. 223,184. Patented c. 30,1879.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P X STIEFENHOFER Grain-Deoort-icating Apparatus. No. 223,184.

Patented Dec. 30, 1879.

N.FETERS, PHOTO UTHDGMPHER. WASHINGTON a c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANZ X. STIEFENHOFER, OF CHERRYVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JOHNFARBER, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN GRAlN-DECORTICATING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 223,184, dated December30, 1879; application filed June '24, 1879.

lustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which--.

Figure l is a perspective view of my decorticator Fig. 2, a sideelevation of the inside cylinder; Fig. 3, a central vertical section ofthe machine, and Fig. 4. an under perspective view of the feeding-box G.

- The object of my invention is to automati cally feed the grain intothe machine, so that it may be more regularly done and the decorticatormore evenly filled; and it consists in the construction andarrangementof a feeding-box, as will be more fully set forthhereinafter.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation.

A represents the main shaft, which is held in an upright position in theframe of the machine. On the shaft A, at a suitable point, is securedthe cylinder B, formed of three wheels or drums of different diameters,the largest being at the top and'the smallest at the bottom. These drumsare provided with cast'metal rings Q, which are thicker at the bottomthan at the top, and are co 'ered by a series of vertical ribs, as seenin Fig. 2. U is the feedingbox, bolted to the top of the cylinder B, andprovided in its outer periphery with two openings closed by valves K K,one end of which is hinged to the feedingbox C, as shown in Fig. 4, andthe. other end provided with a small pin rigidly secured in the end ofthe valve and extending inward through ahole in the side of the box 0,with a head upon its inner end to prevent the valve from opening toofar. This pin plays loosely through the side of the box (J as the valveis opened and shut. The upper surface of the box 0 is also provided witha central opening, admitting the end of the feeding-tube connecting withthe hopper F, in which the grain is poured.

Around the cylinder B, journaled in and upheld by the frame of themachine, is the outer cylinder, D. This cylinder is also formed by threedrums of different diameters, the

largest being at the top, and is provided on the center of theoutlet-tube, and on this shaft,

below the end of the outlet-tube, is secured a disk, H. Around the lowerend of the outlet tube is a collar, G, supported by a forked lever, J,pivoted to the frame, the outer end of which is held in position andraised and lowered by a hand-screw, P.

By this device the collar G is raised and lowered over the outlet-tube,giving more or less space between the collar and the disk H, by whichmeans the flow of the grain is regulated and held a longer or shortertime in the machine, according to the kind or quality of grain undertreatment and the quality of product desired.

The top of the cylinder D is closed by a lid or casting, E, throughwhich the feeding'tube is passed; or it may be cast with and form a partof the same.

The ribbed rings surrounding the cylinders B and D are so shaped thatthe space N, through which the grain passes, extends outward below toform a more uniform and constantly-increasing friction as the grainpasses downward, and the friction is also harder at the top than at thebottom, as the outside of the grain, which is first reached, is muchharder than the inside.

The operation of my dccorticator is as follows: The power being appliedto a pulley, I, 011 the shaft A and to one of the drums forming thecylinder D, so that the cylinders B and D will revolve in oppositedirections, the inside cylinder at a inuch greater speed than theoutside one, (nearly seven times as fast,) the air in the space Nbetween the two cylinders will close the valves K K. The grain now,

being placed in the hopper F, passes down through the feeding-tube intothe feed-box G. The pressure of the grain in the box 0 against thevalves K K will open these valves and allow the grain to pass out intothe space N, where it is caught between the ribbed rings 0 and Q, andgradually works its way downward till it passes out through theoutlet-tube in a finished state. It is held under treatment in themachine a sufficient length of time to produce the quality of flourdesired by means of the collar G and disk H and regulating lever andscrew J and P. WVhen the space N becomes full of grain it rises aroundthe valves K K, closing them and preventing the further flow of graintill it has fallen below the valves on the outside of the feeding-box O,and the pressure of grain on the inside will then reopen the valves, andthe grain again be fed through, thus forming an automatic feed, by whichthe flow is regulated and the machine can never become choked.

The inner cylinder, B, should always revolve at much greater speed thanthe outer one; but the difference in speed may be changed for differentkinds of grain by changing the belt from v one to another of the drumsof the outer cylinder, D.

Having thus fully described my invention, What 1 claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a decorticator, the feeding-wheel 0, provided with valvesconstructed and arranged to be opened by the internal pressure of thegrain, and to be closed by the external pressure of the same as soon asthe scouring mechanism receives more grain than is necessary forimmediate action, substantially as set forth.

2. Inadecorticator, the rotaryfeeding-wheel V c,

0, provided with hinged valvesKKand headed pins 3 s, in combination withthe outer eylinder, D, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, substantially as herein described, ot' the cylindersB D with feeding- Wheel 0, said wheel having hinged valves K K, for thepurpose set forth.

FRANZ XAVOR STIEFENHOFER.

Witnesses:

JOHN M. HOWER, GEORGE T. OPLINGER.

